Coring machine



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. F. SERR CORING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1941 0er. 1o, 1944.

W. F. SERR coRING MArHINE Oct. 10, 1944.

Filed July 8, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORZ W/LL///V E SERR ATTORNEY.

Oct. 10, 1944. lw. F. sERR CORING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 10, 1944 CORING MACHINE William F. Serr, New York, N. Y., assignor to Yankfrank, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 8, 1941, Serial.` No. 401,483

8 Claims.

The invention relates to coring machines and more particularly to machines suitable for making core holes in food products, such as described and claimed in my Patents No. 2,186,435, is-

' sued January 9, 1940, and No. 2,240,522, issued May 6, 1941.

These prior patents disclose specifically a meat product, such as frankfurters, having a longitudinal opening therein in which is disposed a casing holding a fiavoring material such as mustard. One end of the inner casing protrudes from the frankfurter so that the user may remove the inner casing from the frankfurter.

According to a preferred form, the machine embodying the fpresent invention has a cutting element comprising an outer cutting tube having a sharpened edge and a screw conveyor rotatable in opposite directions. Suitable pulleys or other driving devices are secured to said cutting tube and conveyor respectively, which devices may be mounted upon a suitable driving head or support mounted upon a base or table. The base or table may also have a longitudinal guideway on which is slidably mounted a carrier or holder for supporting the frankfurter or other food product, and upon which the food product is caused to move longitudinally of the cutting element to remove the core therefrom.

If desired, special provision may be made on the holder or carrier for removing a core from the frankfurter without appreciably mutilating the outside surface of the frankfurter. To this end the end of the frankfurter may be nicked by a sharp knife to provide a short slit which may be pried open to t over a suitable hollow supporting member. The cutting element may then be caused to enter the frankfurter through this open slit and remove the core therefrom, after which the natural resilience of the frankfurter causes the slit to close without leaving any noticeable mark on the frankfurter.

After the core has been removed from the frankfurter, it will be understood that the in# ner casing filled with suitable flavoring material such as mustard will be inserted into the hole formed by removing the core. The inner casing may be of sufciently stiff material to permit easy insertion thereof.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its ob- (Cl. 14S-106) jects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood be referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the coring machine.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the holder or carrier for the frankfurter or other food product.

Fig. 3 illustrates partly in section the inner casing filled with avoring material preparatory to insertion in the food product.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through frankfurter with the inner casing filled with flavoring inserted therein.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through a frankfurter showing the innermost position of the cutting element in the frankfurter.

' Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken on a perpendicular, vertical, transverse plane through the holder in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of a frankfurter having its end slit preparatory to the insertion of the inner casing.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified form of holder or carrier having a support for spreading a slit end of the frankfurter apart preparatory to the insertion of the cutting element.

Fig. 10` is a longitudinal section of a modified form of frankfurter after the inner casing has been inserted.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specic names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their appliction as the art will permit.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes of explanation, but it will -be understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspect of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, the frankfurter is indicated loy I2 comprising the usual body Il of meat hash having an outer skin or casing l5, which may be of animal intestine or the hardened skinlike surface of the sc-called skinless frankfurter. Disposed within a core hole drilled longitudinally of the frankfurter is an inner casing I0 containing the avoring material such as mustard indicated by 8` The inner end of the casing I0 is open the adjacent closed end of the frankfurter body I holding the ilavoring material 8 in place. The outer end I3 of the casing I0 projects from the frankfurter and has a twisted portion indicated =by I4 by which the inner casing I0 may be removed from the frankfurter preparatory to eating. l Y Y Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7,'the coring machine comprises a heavy base or table supported by suitable legs 2|. The base 20 may be made of suitable structural material such as wood protected by a nonfcorrodable covering such as stainless steel indicated by I8. Y v Mounted on the base is a guideway or track indicated by 22 and suitably supported by blocks indicated by I9 and 23. The guideway 22 hasa slot 24 in which is adjustably positioned a stop member having a T-head25,ra screw lportion* 26 and a wing nut 21.- Slidably mountedon the guideway 22` is the carrier y3|) having a dovetail recess Vfitting .corresponding surfaces lon the guideway 22, as indicated more particularlyi'n Secured to carrieris a trough-shaped holder 33 having end wall 29y in which the frankfurter |2 is adapted to seat during the coring operation. Holder 33 is held imposition by screws 34 and' is provided with a curved cover 35 suitably hinged to holder'33 by hinge 38.. A handle 36 is connected to cover 35 by screws '31. The cover 35'is adapted to close over the frankfurter I2 and the handle 36 is to assist in sliding the carrier 30 along the gudeway 22 for the coring operation".v

Resting upon the table 20 alongside the guide-1 way. 22 is a large bin 42 for holding the frankfurters to be cored. The bin 42 has a back wall 3S and a front wall 40, the latterbeing cut away toV provide a lip 43 to assist in transferring the frankfurters from the bin to the carrier. A rest or wall 4| extends lengthwise of the guideway on the opposite side of the coring machine from the bin to protectagainst possible injury by accidental contact with the cutting element. i

Mounted upon the table 2|) is a head block 44V comprising bearing members 45 and 46, each `bearing memberY having two sections between which pulleys 48 and 52 are journaled.

The cutting element comprises a cutter sleeve 41 having a sharpened edge 41' within which is disposeda screw conveyor 50. The cutting sleeve 41 is journaled in the sections of bearing 45 and has pulley 48 aixed thereto by set screwv 49 which axially fixes the cutter sleeve.

The screw conveyor 50has secured thereto an outer sleeve 5| which in'turn supports pulley 52, these members being secured together by set screws 53 and 54. Y l

Disposed between the twobearing members 45 and 46 is a vertical chute 51 having a removable top cover 56. The screw conveyor 50 passes through the walls of chute 51 in close relationship thereto. The chute 51 empties into a hash drawer. 58 mounted on suitable slides 59 on the underside of the table 20. The drawer 58 is protable 20 in bearings 65 and 66. The countershaft 6| supports pulleys 62, 63 and `|54 suitably aiiixed thereto. v

The counter-shaft 6| is driven by an electric motor 61 suitably bolted to the underside of table 2l] and having a motor pulley 68. Belt 69 connects motor pulley 68 and intermediate pulley 64 passing through holes 12 in the table. Belt 10 connects pulleys 52 and 62 and belt 1| connects pulleys 48l and 63. It will be noted that belt 1| is crossed while belt 10 is open, this being for the purpose of rotating the cutting sleeve 41 and conveyor 5|] in opposite directions. The drive pulleys and belts are covered and protected by a suitable caporcover 13 having slots straddling "cuttingfslevell and sleeve 5| and suitably secured in position.4

- In operation the adjustable bolt 25 will be set in slot 24 to correspond to the depth to which it is'de'siiedto drill the frankfurter I2, this position being illustrated in-YFig. 6.. .The frankfurters tol be cored will be placed onen at a time in the holder 33 and the carrier 30 moved in the direction ofthe-'arrow 14 in Fig. 1 to cause the cuttingy elementsV 41 and 50 to remove the core of the meathash lfromV the frankfurter I2. It will be understood that the -helical screw conveyor 50 will rotate Vin such direction as to cause the hashto be conveyed thereby through the helical groove .thereof to the chute 51 whence it falls automatically into the hash drawer 58. The sharpened edge of the cutting tube on sleeve 41 cutsa neat clean hole in the frankfurter and theremoval of the hash leaves a clean bore into which .the inneriiavor carrying casing may be L easily inserted. When the hole is bored into the frankfurter the carrier 30 is withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. 1, the frankfurter I2 removed and a new frankfurter put in its place.

.TheinnercaSing I8 lled with iiavoring 8 will then .beinserted in the bore holes by hand operation, it being Yunderstood that the material of casing |0 maybe-sufficiently stiff to permit ready insertion thereof. The casing I0 is not too stiff to prevent forcible collapsing thereof when it is desired to remove the Ycasing I0 from the frankfurter, squeezing. the -avoring material 8 out of the casing I 0 into direct Contact with the meat of thefrankfurter prior to eating as explained in the patents above-mentioned, particularly Patent small knifecut .indicated by 16 in Fig. 8 may be vided with a handle by which the 'drawer may befpull'ed out fand emptied of the meat hash whenever desired. y

Thepulleys 48 and 52 are driven through a counter-shaftl suitably 'journaled on the top Of f Referring now to Figs. 8 to 10, if desired the frankfurter may be cored and the inner casing insertedin such way as to be less noticeable than inthe form illustrated in Fig. 4. To this end a placed inthe end of the frankfurter prior to placing the lfrankfurter inthe holder indicated byv 133.'. A support 18 may be secured to the car.- rier |30 supporting a sleeve or eye 19 which serves to hold open thesides of the slit 16 in frankfurter |I2. The 'cutting element including the sleeve' |41 vthen may pass through the eye 19 as the carrier |30 is moved to the left in Fig. 9 and, afterAV the meat of the core is vremoved and the frankfurter I2Y is .removed from the holder |33, theU Sides of the slit 16 will spring back together, the frankfurter taking on an appearance not unlike its appearance'before the coring operation asshown in Fig. 8.

Toinsert the inner casing I0 within the frankfurter ||2 the slit 16 will be sprung open again and the Acasing-III! inserted. This casing may have a somewhat longer twistedv or flattened end .I ,I so as vtopr'oject out through the slit 16 when it springs back into position as shown in Fig. 10. It is thought that the use of this form of the invention will be apparent from the above description, so no further explanation will be given.

Thus a coring machine has, been provided, which quickly and eiiiciently removes cores of meat from frankfurters. It produces a clean hole and the meat is eticiently removed and conveyed to a suitable storage container, whence it can be re-used or disposed of as conditions may dictate. The coring operation is simple. There is nothing to get out of order and the machine should give long and efiicient service.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed herein, and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. IIn a coring machine for removing cores of material from frankfurters and the like, a cutting element comprising a cylindrical tube of a length suicient to core the length of the frankfurter, said tube having a sharp end, a screw conveyor comprising a shank having a helical groove in its outer surface and disposed within and snugly fitting said tube, means for rotating said tube and screw conveyor in opposite directions, a carrier for the frankfurter, and means for moving said cutting element and said carrier relatively in the direction of the axis of said cutting element, said tube having a discharge opening remote from said sharp end through which said conveyor discharges the core material, said helical groove extending to said discharge opening.

2. In a coring machine for removing cores of` material from comestibles and the like, a cutting element comprising a cylindrical tube having a sharp end, a screw conveyor disposed within and snugly fitting said tube, means for rotating said tube and screw conveyor in opposite directions, a carrierl for the comestible, a support on said carrier for holding apart portions of the end of said comestible, and means for moving said cutting element and said carrier relatively in the direction of the axis of said cutting element, whereby a core may be removed from said comestible without removing any substantial part of the surface of said comestible.

3. In a coring machine for removing cores of material from frankfurters, a cutting element comprising a cylindrical tube of a length suicient to core the length of the frankfurter, said tube having a sharp end, a conveyor disposed within said tube, means for rotating said tube and operating said conveyor in opposite directions, a carrier for the comestible, and means for moving said cutting element and said carrier relatively in the direction of the axis of said cutting element, said conveyor comprising a shank having a helical groove in its outer surface, said shank closely tting the inner surface of said tube, said groove forming a conveying passage, said tube having an opening through which core material passing through said passage is discharged and to which opening said groove extends.

4. In a coring machine for removing cores of material from frankfurters, a cutting element comprising a cylindrical tube of a length suiiicient to core the length of the frankfurter, said tube having a sharp end, a screw conveyor disposed within and closely fitting said tube, and means for rotating said tube and screw conveyor in opposite directions, said tube having a discharge opening remote from said sharp end through which said conveyor discharges the core material, the screw conveyor extending to said opening.

5. In a coring machine for placing bore holes in comestibles, a b'ase having a longitudinal guideway, a carrier slidable 'on said guideway adapted to support the comestible to be cored, first and second bearings on said base, a cutting tube journaled in said first bearing, a pulley aflixed to said tube, a screw conveyor journaled in said second bearing and disposed inside of said cutting tube, said cutting tube and conveyor entering said 4comestible when said carrier is fed on said guideway toward said tube and conveyor, a second pulley afxed to said screw conveyor, a chute between said bearings having walls through which said conveyor passes, said conveyor extending beyond said cutting tube to provide communication with said chute, a removable drawer slidably mounted on the underside of said base into which said chute empties, a counter-shaft, bearings supporting said countershaft on said base, pulleys on said counter-shaft, and belts connecting said last-mentioned pulleys with said first and second pulleys, a drive motor on said base and having a pulley, an additional pulley on said counter-shaft, and a third belt connecting said additional pulley and sai-d motor pulley.

6. In a coring machine for placing bore holes in comestibles, a table having a longitudinal guideway, a carrier slidable on said guideway adapted to support the comestible to be cored, a head on said table comprising spaced first and second bearings each having spaced sections, a cutting tube journaled in said first bearing, a pulley aiixed to said tube and located between the sections of said rst bearing, a screw conveyor journaled in said second bearing and disposed inside of said cutting tube, said cutting tube andconveyor entering said comestible when said carrier is fed on said guideway toward said tube and conveyor, a second pulley afiixed t0 said screw conveyor and disposed between the sections of said second bearing, a chute between said bearings having walls through which said yconveyor passes, said conveyor extending beyond said cutting tube to provide communication with said chute, la removable drawer slidably mounted on the underside of said table into which said chute empties, a counter-shaft, bearings supporting said counter-shaft on the upper side of said table, pulleys on said counter-shaft, and belts connecting said last-mentioned pulleys with said rst and second pulleys, a drive motor suspended from the underside 0f said table and having a pulley, an additional pulley on said counter-shaft, and a third belt connecting said additional pulley and said motor pulley.

7. In a coring machine for placing bore holes in comestibles, a cutting tube, a base having a longitudinal guideway, a carrier slidable on said guideway adapted -to support the comestible to be cored for movement towards, and away from, said cutting tube, first and second bearings on said base, said cutting tube being journaled in said first bearing, a drive wheel afxed to said tube, a screw conveyor journaled in said second bearing and disposed inside of said cutting tube, a second drive wheel afiixed to said screw coningapart a-portion of the 'comestible to permit saidcutting element to enter said comestible through thespread-apart portion of the vcomestible without removal of a substantial portion of the surface of the comestible; and means for 4mounting said clamping lmeans and orifice member as one unit; and said cutting elementl as another unit'for relative movement towards, land awayfrom, each other.

WILLIAM F. SERR. 

